You'll Be In My Heart
by A Girl In NYC
Summary: What if Scar had a daughter during the events of The Lion King, who he has an strong, loving bond with? And what if as she grows older and her father assumes the role of king, she hates what he's become and barely can recognize him anymore? Set during The Lion King. R&R, please.
1. I

The new king was born.

Simba, my Uncle Mufasa's first born son with my aunt, Sarabi. My little cousin. Simba was yellow-orange with brown eyes, looking similar to my uncle. He was small, but a king. Instantly knocking _my_ father off of his place as future king.

I was only a few weeks older than Simba, and was being raised on Pride Rock by my father, Scar. My mother had died in a savannah fire while hunting only a few days after I was born, and so my father had the constant duty of looking after me all the time.

I inherited his darker, tanner fur and greenish yellow eyes. I was a spitting image of him, except for my more muscular body structure of my mother than his lanky, rawboned and gaunt physique. He was comforting and loving towards me, but as I grew up, I noticed he was vicious and sarcastic to my uncle Mufasa, as well as Simba.

As I grew up, I saw a monster in the lion that had raised me.

It was almost as if he had two sides to him. To me, Scar was a good father; strict yet gentle. He was playful and patient with me when I roused him and tried to play by biting his ear or tail, and he taught me how to hunt and roar. He was also a bit over-protective and posessive.

Around Mufasa or Simba, he was troublemaking and sarcastic, cunning and at times insulting. He had anger directed towards my uncle, I began to notice.

I remember my father's anger even as an infant. When I was only a few weeks old—before I could even _speak_—on the day of the presentation of Simba, Mufasa had confronted him. I was cradled in Scar's massive paws as he sat in the den on Pride Rock, watching as my father and uncle snapped at each other.

_"Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba," Mufasa had snapped at Scar._

_"That was today? Oh, I feel simply awful. It must've slipped my mind." My father had hissed in reply, narrowing his eyes at his brother._

_"Well, as slippery as your mind is," Zazu had snipped, "As the king's brother you should have been first in line."_

_"I was first in line," My father replied, "Until the little hairball was born."_

_"That _hairball_ is my son," Mufasa said sternly, "And _your_ future king."_

_"Tell me, Mufasa. What makes your cub's birth more important than mine? Yours gets a presentation in front of every animal on the Prideland. While mine simply gets a nod in awknowledgment." He hissed again, looking down at me, then up to his brother._

_"Sabiha's birth is just as important as Simba's," Mufasa corrected, "She is of royalty as well as Simba, just as you are. But, Simba _is_ the future king."_

_"Oh well, I'll have to practice my curtsey." Scar retorted, picking me up by his mouth, grabbing me by the fur on my neck, turning his back on his brother._

_"Don't you turn your back on me, Scar." Mufasa growled. Scar lowered his mouth, and set me on the ground between his paws and glared over his shoulder at Mufasa._

_"Oh no, Mufasa. Perhaps it is _you_ who shouldn't turn their back on _me_." He replied nonchalantly._

_My uncle ran in front of him with a roar, to stop Scar from walking any further. I trembled between my father's paws, staring up at Mufasa fearfully, never hearing a roar quite that loud beside Scar's. "Is that a challenge?" Mufasa growled._

_"Temper, temper. You're scaring Sabiha," Scar said bluntly, turning in a paw to hold me closer to him, and glaring at Mufasa, "I wouldn't dream of challenging you." My father's words were dripping with sarcasm._

_"Pity. Why not?" Zazu asked, as he stood between Mufasa's front paws. Scar lowered his head, glaring at Zazu, "Because as far as brains go, I have the lion's share. But when it comes to brutal strength, I fear I am in the shallow part of the gene pool."_

_He shot both my uncle and Zazu narrow-eyed glares. Leaning his head down, he opened his mouth and picked me up by my fur on my neck, carrying me off and away from the heated arguement._

That was my earliest known memory I had of the hostility and tension between my father and my uncle. I remember how negative my father was when he was in the presence of Mufasa, and I when I was an infant and child I had always wondered why.

* * *

**3 Years Later**

"_Dad_," I groaned, "I don't need a bath. I'm clean."

I attempted to scurry away to find Simba, but my father caught me by my tail with his paw—which was bigger than my head—and pulled me back into him.

My father looked down at me in disbelief, his scarred eyebrow arched and yellow-green eyes not convinced. I sat in between his massive paws, caged in. His dark, black mane cascaded down his chest as I pressed my body to it. He was a large lion, tall and lanky, but big. He didn't look like he believed me.

"Sabiha, I _know_ you hate baths. But you haven't gotten a bath in days, and you were playing in the waterhole yesterday," He said strictly, looking down at me, "You were drenched in mud when you came back with _Simba_." He seemed to roll his eyes when he recited my cousin's—and the future king's—name.

"Fine," I muttered.

Scar reached down and ran his tongue over the back of my head, then behind my ears. I winced everytime he groomed me, given that I hated getting bathed. Occasionally Sarabi would groom me, but I preferred when Scar did it. He was gentler and more patient when it came to bathing me.

"The next time _Simba _wants to go somewhere dangerous or dirty, refrain from doing so, Sabiha. I mean it," Scar mumbled, continuing to groom me, his tongue cleaning my back.

I put my small paws over one of his massive ones, attempting to escape, "Okay, okay. I'm clean, right? Can I go play now, Dad? _Please_?"

He nudged me with his nose to sit back down between his paws. He looked down at me wearily, "No, no, no. Not yet. You're filthy, Sabiha. Lift up."

I groaned but obeyed, lifting my head back, and closing my eyes, his tongue cleaning my neck, then my back. During my bath, Simba came prancing up to our den, clearly excited. My father saw him out of the corner of his eye and seemed to brush his nephew off, going back to grooming me.

"Hey, Sabiha," Simba said happily, standing in front of me as I was enclosed in Scar's paws, "Hi, Uncle Scar."

I smiled at him as Scar's tongue ran across the top of my head, fur blocking my eyes as it was pushed forward, "Hi, Simba." My father nodded to him in awknowledgement, seemingly too busy in bathing me than Simba.

"Guess what?" Simba asked, grinning. I smirked at him, "What is it? I'm kinda in the middle of a bath."

Scar's tongue ran across the side of my face.

"What is it, Simba?" I asked, still in between Scar's two paws.

Simba smirked, "Guess!"

"I'm bad at guessing." I said eagerly. "Tell me."

"Can you guess, Uncle Scar?" Simba asked him brightly, looking up to my father.

"I _despise_ guessing games." Scar mumbled miserably, his loving mood towards me instantly switching to miserable once Simba came into the den.

"My dad said that I'm the future king," Simba boasted, walking to the ledge that looked over Pride Rock and the vast African savannahs that Mufasa ruled, the land green and healthy. I arched my eyebrows at him, "How much do you get to rule?"

"He said that I'm going to rule it _all_." Simba said happily. "Yes, well excuse me for not leaping for joy," My father snapped in a hiss, "Bad back, you know."

He flopped down on his side, and I leaned against him, lying on his back. Simba climbed on his head, smiling. "Hey, Uncle Scar, when I'm king, what'll that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle." Scar muttered, and Simba laughed. I smiled, a little giggle escaping my mouth. Simba looked at him, "You're so weird."

"You have no idea," Scar grinned at him, "So, your father showed you the whole kingdom, did he? I have yet to show Sabiha. Especially the shadow land."

"Why, what's in the Shadowland? My dad says I can't go there." Simba's ears went back, clearly not pleased that he didn't know about it.

"And he's absoultely right! An elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince." Scar said, "Oh, dear. I've said too much. Oh, I suppose you would've figured it out sooner or later. Just promise me one thing. Don't ever, ever go to that dreaful place?"

"I promise." Simba said, smirking at me. I knew he'd go against what my father instructed, and that he'd let his curiousity get the better of him.

"There's a good lad," My father smirked, with his usual sarcastic drawl, "Now run along and have fun. And remember, this will be our little secret." Simba nodded, smiling brightly, then asked, "Sabiha, are you coming? Let's get Nala and go to the uh. . ._waterhole_."

I looked up at my father, grinning innocently and pleadingly as I began to follow Simba, "_Please _can I go?"

"You can," Scar replied, "_After_ you finish your bath." He got up lazily, reaching down and grabbing me by my neck, carrying me over to finish grooming me.

"Aw, Dad. Can't you finish it later?" I groaned, pawing at his paws that encaged me.

"Sabiha..." He said.

I huffed and rolled my eyes, "Okay, fine."

I looked to my cousin, "I'll meet you by the lionessess' rock in a minute, Simba."

He nodded and began running down Pride Rock.

Scar continued to lick my neck, then my back, and finished my bath by licking the side of my face, "There. Done. Now it wasn't all_ that_ bad, was it?"

I leaned against my father's chest, nuzzling into his black, thick mane as a _thank you_ for the bath. He leaned down and nudged his nose on my body affectionately in reply.

"No. Can I go now, Dad?" I asked him, leaning my nose into his chest, against his mane, "Please?"

"Yes," He said carefully, his yellow-green eyes watching me suspiciously, "_But_, no matter what Simba chooses to do, do _not _go to the Shadowland. Do you understand, Sabiha? It's very dangerous, and it really is no place for a young lioness. I mean it."

He was serious, his eyes apprehensive and strict. He really meant it.

"Yeah, Dad. I won't." I said, smiling innocently up at him.

"Good girl. Run along then, and stay out of trouble." He warned, nudging me affectionately with his nose, formally dismissing me.

I smiled, running down to Simba and Nala, knowing one thing for sure.

We were going to explore that elephant graveyard.


	2. II

**II**

I scampered out of our den, making a quick dash to the lionessess' rock, running swiftly down Pride Rock, passing by a few members of our pride. My aunt, Sarabi, was bathing Simba, and Nala's mother, Sarafina, was bathing her. I pranced to Simba, "Okay, I'm ready. Now _where_ exactly are we heading off to?"

Sarabi licked Simba's head, messing up his mane, his golden brown fur sticking up straight, then falling over crookedly. I let out a giggle, pressing my front paws up on the rock he was getting bathed on. Simba looked annoyed and huffed, "_Mom_, stop! You're messing up my mane."

Sarabi looked down at Simba, "One little bath _isn't_ that bad. Did you get your bath yet, Sabiha?" She smiled knowingly at me, arching an eyebrow at me.

"My dad just gave me one," I said, smugly smiling at Simba, rubbing it in teasingly that I already had gotten my bath, "I'm all done." Simba stuck his tongue out at me. Neither of us liked getting bathed by our parents.

"See? Your Uncle Scar already gave Sabiha her bath, and she's fine with it. You're due for yours," Sarabi commented, licking Simba's head, grooming him.

"So where are we going? It better not be any place dumb." Nala pointed out, and I nodded in agreement. "I'll show you when we ge there." Simba mumbled quietly, to avoid giving away his plan, "It's really cool."

Sarabi smiled, letting Simba jump out of her paws, looking suspicious, "So where is this 'really cool' place?"

"Uhm, around the waterhole," Simba replied uneasily. "The waterhole?" I asked, "What's so great about the waterhole? Didn't we go there yesterday? I got all muddy."

"I'll _show_ you." Simba muttered urgently, hinting it was something completely different than the waterhole. I realized this and nodded, winking at him.

"So Mom, can I go with Simba and Sabiha?" Nala asked Sarafina, grinning eagerly. Sarafina looked to Simba's mother, "What do you think, Sarabi?"

"Sabiha, your father said it was okay?" Sarabi asked, and I nodded eagerly. "It's alright with me," Sarabi said, "As long as Zazu goes with you."

All three of us groaned. "_Not Zazu_!"

* * *

"Step lively! The faster we get to the waterhole, the sooner we can go home." Zazu preached, flying overhead as Simba, Nala and I walked on the African savanna.

"So where are we really going?" I asked Simba, knowing the answer before he even said it, "It better not be-"

"The elephant graveyard," Simba finished my sentance, a confident smile on his face, and Nala looked excited, her eyes widening, "Cool!"

"But my Dad said never to go there," I said, arching my eyebrow at Simba, "And I'm pretty sure he told you the exact same thing. And your dad said it, too. We could get into a lot of trouble, Simba."

Simba looked mischevious, "They don't have to find out." Nala looked alarmingly at Simba, "But what if we get caught? Or get hurt? Or Zazu tells on us?"

"Yeah, if my Dad finds out he'll—" I began, but Zazu cut in, popping up out of nowhere, "If your father finds out _what, _Sabiha?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, giving Zazu a smug, yet innocent smile, "_Nothing_."

"Don't the three of you start boiling up trouble," Zazu warned, suspiciously looking at Simba, Nala and I, "I don't want Mufasa or Scar after me because _you_ decided to cause trouble."

"We aren't up to _anything_, Zazu," I lied, giving him a toothy grin, "Really."

Zazu looked at me suspiciously, "I can never tell when you're lying, young lady. It's unfortunately a trait that both you _and_ your father share. Now I have a future king, a future queen, and a princess to watch today. And if any of you three get into trouble, I get into trouble. So let's stay _out_ of trouble, shall we?"

Zazu gave a suspicious glare at me again, then to Simba and Nala, and began flying overhead again, a little farther up ahead than us.

Simba began whispering again, looking at me, "Your dad said only the bravest lions go to the elephant graveyard. I'm brave, I can do it! I'm a future king, Sabiha. Uncle Scar won't find out, and neither will my dad. Don't worry!"

Nala and I looked at Simba worriedly, but slinked away from behind Zazu quietly, as he had gone quite a ways up ahead. We followed Simba past the waterhole, picking up our pace to lose Zazu.

I felt nervous, hoping we wouldn't get caught. Simba, Nala and I jumped down a hill and rolled into a dry, dull-looking place.

There were bones everywhere, big thick ones. A few geyers went off beside us, and an eerie fog was just above the ground as we stood there, the three of our jaws dropped.

"This...this is it! We made it," Simba said in awe, as we walked up a small hill which overlooked miles of bones and dust and dry land, fog coating the land. "It's really creepy." Nala pointed out.

I smirked sideways at Simba as the three of us stood overlooking the elephant graveyard, our paws up on a bone so we could look out, "You know we could get into a lot of trouble?"

"I know! Isn't it great?" Simba laughed, the three of us jumping down and beginning to walk around.

It really was an elephant graveyard, bones were _everywhere_we looked. Simba stood in the spine bones of an elephant, nodding to Nala and I to come, "Let's check it out."

Suddenly, Zazu flew in, blocking our way, flapping his wings furiously, "The only 'checking out' you'll be doing is checking out of _here_!"

"Ooh, look! Banana Beak is scared!" Simba teased, and Zazu pressed his finger on Simba's nose, "That's Mr. Banana Beak to _you_! And I'm not scared of _here_, I'm scared that if anything happens to the three of you, Mufasa will never forgive me for it, and Scar, well, he...he'd _probably _eat me." Zazu looked terrified at the thought.

"Oh, losen up, Zazu." I scoffed.

"Yeah, Zazu. Why _don't_ you losen up?" A voice asked, accompanied by hyena laughing. All four of us looked up in terror as three hyenas came crawling out of the holes in the elephant skull, the female leading the pack. Zazu gasped and held his feathers up in protection.

"Well, well, well. Banzai, what do we have here?" The female asked as the four of us quivered in fear against the skeleton of another elephant. The male hyena, Banzai, grinned and tried to hold in his laughter, "I don't know Shanzai. What do you think, Ed?"

The last hyena in the pack crazily laughed, his tongue hanging out and he looked wild, his eye twitching. Banzai grinned and the three hyenas were surrounding us, "Just what I was thinking. Four _trespassers_!"

"And completely by accident, I assure you! A strictly navigational error." Zazu said innocently, attempting to scamper away. He was caught by the wing by Shanzai, who grinned at him, "Wait, wait, wait. I know you. You're Mufasa's little stooge."

"Aye, Madam, and the _King's_ majordomo." Zazu snapped, pulling his wing away from her grasp.

"And that would make you future king," Banzai grinned as the hyenas circled us. "Do you know what we do to future kings who step out of their kingdom?" Shanzai asked, and my ears went back and my tail between my legs, and I began backing up into Nala.

"You can't do anything to me," Simba said bravely.

"I believe they can, this is their territory," Zazu said, trying to remain calm. He looked upwards, "My, my! Look at the sun, time to be going! Scar and Mufasa will be wondering where you are!"

The four of us attempted to leave, but Shanzai stepped in front of us, "Are you sure? We would _love_ you to stick around for dinner."

"Yeah, we're havin' whatevers lyin' around!" Banzai laughed, sending the other hyenas into hysterics. While they were too busy laughing, we made a mad dash out of there, as I followed Simba and Nala, Zazu flapping his wings wildly. My breathing was heavy as I sprinted as fast as my small paws would carry me.

Simba, who was leading us, mis-stepped, sending him falling down the elephant spine, Nala trailing behind him.

I gasped, running to the beginning of the tunnel downwards, seeing nothing but gray and darkness at the bottom. I skidded to a stop, not allowing myself to fall downwards after them. I yelled for Simba and Nala, but I heard no reply. My ears fell back instantly in fear, my tail going between my legs, my body trembling as I heard hyenas laughing distantly behind.

I was alone.

I stood there panickedly, looking in every direction around me. I saw nothing but bones, dust, and fog. My green irises grew wide in fear, looking around for anybody. I was alone, besides the distant hyena laughter. I scampered through some bones, running as fast as I could through the massive elephant graveyard. I stopped running, hiding behind a large elephant bone, trembling in fear.

I almost jumped out of my fur in horror when I heard footsteps behind me. I quickly turned around, my eyes widening as I saw three large lions, scraggily and malnourished, walking towards me. Their eyes were sunken in, and it looked like they hadn't eaten in days.

"What do we have here?" The only male in the pride asked, "A little cub who's lost her way?" He was lanky and thin, no muscle whatsoever. He grinned a malicious, toothy grin, his irises red. He was so malnourished, it seemed you could see most of the bones in his face.

"_Finally_, something to eat. I haven't eaten in days." The first female, thin and boney, whined, coming closer to me. I backed up against the elephant bone, my tail in between my legs and ears back. The second female cackled wildly, eyeing me up to eat, then looking to the male, "You do the honors."

The male laughed, "Gladly."

The male lion leaped for me, and I shut my eyes, my body shaking and readying myself for the pain. Instead of pain, I heard a loud roar. I opened my eyes, pressing my back up against the elephant bone in fear. My father was attacking the male lion, wrestling with him and biting his neck and back, roars coming from both of them.

The females tried to fight, but instantly backed off once he roared at them. My father pinned the male with his massive paw on the male's chest, the females' thin bodies trembling in fear nearby, watching.

"If you _ever_ go near my daughter again," Scar roared, "I'll make _sure_ of it that you will never see the light of another day."

The male lion stared up in sheer horror at Scar, and gasped, "Okay, okay! I—I didn't know this was _your_ territory."

My father lifted his paw hesitantly, allowing the male malnourished lion to stand up uneasily. He looked fearfully at me and my father, and scampered off, terrifed, into the fog with the two females. I remained trembling in the corner, looking at my father as he stood back down.

He turned and glared at me, his eyes narrowed angrily. His scarred eye glared at me intimidatingly.

I walked to him, standing at his back paw, seeing as he was so much bigger than myself. My voice trembled as I attempted to explain, "Dad, I—"

"You disobeyed me." He snapped in his usual drawl, looking over his shoulder at me. His green irises burned into me, making me feel awful that I'd gone against what he had said. He snarled, "I told you _not _to come here, Sabiha. No matter what your cousin may do."

My ears went back in shame.

"I—I'm sorry Dad, I didn't mean to—" I squeaked.

"We're going home." He cut me off with a growl, nudging my behind with his nose. He then began to walk home. I instantly hung my head in shame, refusing to meet his disappointed eyes. I walked closely beside him, my tail between my legs and my eyelids heavy.

Simba and Nala were with Mufasa a few feet up ahead, and Scar just looked at me, then Mufasa with a vengeful glare, as though he was blaming Mufasa for what had happened.

I looked at Nala and Simba, who also had been reprimanded, by the look on Simba's face. I sighed, and kept on walking with Scar.

It was getting darker as we walked through the grasslands of the savanna leading up to Pride Rock. The sky was pink, the night falling soon, stars already in the African sky. I kept walking with my head down and ears back.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was just—" I broke the silence in a quiet voice. Scar stopped walking, sitting up. I went to face him, staring up at my father. His scarred eyebrow arched at me, his green irises glaring at me, and he looked disappointed and irritated.

"Sabiha, when I give you an order, I expect you to obey me." He began, laying down in the grass so he was eye level with me, "And what you did today was out of line. You did the exact opposite of what I told you to do. I _don't_ care what _Simba_ does." He scoffed at Simba's name, "I care what you do, and you have disappointed me by not listening to me. You could've gotten yourself killed."

"I know. I'm sorry." I apologized again. I hung my head, nuzzling face into his paw in attempt of apology, "I—I won't do it again." A few tears fell down my face, and he licked the side of my face to accept my apology.

"I'm here, Sabiha. Don't cry." He said, nudging me affectionately.

I looked hopefully up at him.

"You're my only daughter, the only cub and heir I have." He said sternly, "And I don't know what I would do if I lost you. You know I'll always protect you and be here, Sabiha. But you can't put yourself in a situation like you did today. What if I hadn't been there to stop those lions?"

I nodded, leaping up on top of him, sitting lazily on his back, "I'll never do it again."

"I hope not." He replied, "And I mean it, Sabiha."

I nuzzled my face into his mane. I sat on my father's back, the two of us staring up at the summer savannah sky, the blue and black night sky splattered with stars. I bit his ear playfully, tugging on it. He smiled a crooked grin, knocking me off his back and in between his two front paws. I tried to escape, laughing, but he playfully caught me by my tail in his teeth, dragging me to him.

I snuggled in between his paws, he keeping me safe and warm. I stared up at the stars, "You'll always be here with me. Right, Dad?"

He didn't say anything for a moment.

"For now and forever more. Always." He said in a quiet voice, and rested his head beside me.

By the time we reached Pride Rock, it was very dark outside. The stars were splattered across the sky. I was exhausted, and so Scar had since picked me up in his mouth, carrying me by the fur on my neck. He quietly and tiredly walked to our usual sleeping place in the den, a spot far away in the corner of the den, away from everyone else. He being the other male in our pride, he liked to sleep away from the lionesses. He gently placed me down. I saw Simba sleeping with Mufasa and Sarabi on the higher up rock reserved for the king.

My father flopped down lazily beside me. He yawned loudly, a vicious roar echoing in the den as he stretched out. He opened his paws for me, and I quickly scurried to him, securing myself between his two front paws and yawning myself, resting my head against his black, thick mane. He encompassed me in his paws and I snuggled in. He licked the top of my head in affection as a _goodnight_.

"Sleep, Sabiha." He murmured, not opening his eyes.

I nodded and yawned, a low and very less powerful roar than my father's echoed in our den.

Before I drifted off to sleep, I remember thinking about how much my father was displaying his hatred for Simba and Mufasa. And at the time, I didn't think it really meant anything.

How _wrong_ I was.

* * *

_Reviews are cool ;)_


	3. III

**III**

I opened my eyes a little, noticing it was morning. I was still being held between Scar's two front paws, keeping me safe against his mane after what happened the day before. I was curled up in a ball, comfortably lying against his warm fur. I yawned, stretching out my paws and letting out a small, weak roar. I looked to Scar, who was still sleeping.

I squirmed out of his paws and looked at him.

"Dad, wake up. You _promised_." I said, jumping onto my father, lying on top of his black mane, playfully biting his ear, "You promised you would teach me today."

Scar's eyes lazily opened, and he smiled at me as I looked at him expectantly.

"Your hunting and roaring lesson?" He asked, sitting up. I rubbed my face against his mane, nuzzling up against him, "You said you would." He licked the side of my face.

He mumbled drowsily in his drawl, "Alright, alright. I'm getting up." He yawned again, a loud roar reflecting off the walls of our den. I climbed off of him. The sun had recently risen over the Pridelands, the sky still a dark orange fading to a blue, the white stringy clouds cascading across the horizon. The pride was already grazing on the rocks and in the grass by Pride Rock, Simba and Nala grazing there with Sarabi and Sarafina.

I scampered happily down Pride Rock, meeting up with Nala and Simba, who greeted me.

"Was your dad mad?" I asked, lying down on the rocks, grazing with Simba and Nala. Simba nodded, "He said he was really disappointed and that if him and Uncle Scar weren't there, you, Nala and I could've been killed. What about you? Was Uncle Scar mad?"

"You have _no_ idea." I said, "But he's teaching me how to hunt today, so I guess he's willing to forget about it."

A moment later, my father came walking down from our den. He looked at Simba briefly with annoyance, blaming him for yesterday's incident. He nugded my back with his nose, "Come, Sabiha. We'll hunt by the waterhole first."

I said goodbye to Simba and Nala. I smiled up at my father and he smiles down at me, as I faithfully followed him, my head held proudly that I would be the first cub to know how to hunt in our pride. Scar led me off Pride Rock and into the grasslands, deeper and deeper. We were on the brink of the shadow land, a few yards from the waterhole.

I walked closely to Scar, practically attaching myself to him. He spotted a herd of antelope near the waterhole, and got down in the tall grass. He had me do the same, the two of us watching the antelope, awaiting the perfect moment.

"Sabiha, you watch first." He instructed, smiling cunningly, "Be absolutely silent, and stay low to the ground." I did as I was told, narrow-eyed, staring at the herd. "Try not to make a sound." He whispered.

The herd moved a bit closer, and instantly he lept from the grasslands, running rapidly to the herd, causing a panic among the antelope. Scar roared and took an antelope down by it's neck, the others fleeing.

I let my tail flip back and forth excitedly, watching how skillful he was, knowing I was being taught by the best. Before I could jump after my father and join him, my tail was held down by a paw.

I quickly turned around to see the three hyenas again, Shenzi, Benzai, and Ed. Shenzi had her paw on my tail, holding me in place, preventing me from going anywhere.

"Lookie what we got here. Another cub." Benzai laughed, the three of them circling me. Shenzi grinned at him, "And even better, it's the one that got away yesterday!"

Ed laughed wildly, his eye twitching. I trembled as the three circled me like I was their prey. In an instant, Scar lept from behind me and stood in front of me protectively. I cowered in fear, hiding underneath him. He roared, facing the three hyenas, who grinned at him.

"Scar! What's goin' on, buddy? What are you doin' here?" Benzai asked, grinning wickedly at my father, who looked at the three hyenas as if they were brainless.

"Protecting my daughter from idiots, I suppose," He snapped at them calmly, "While I'm supposed to be teaching her how to hunt. Would it be a stupid question if I asked _you_ what is going on? Because I think the answer that you were attempting to prey on my cub would not be a smart one."

The three hyenas looked at him in shock, then grinned nervously in response. Shenzi arched her head down so she was eye-level with me, "We had no _idea_ this one was yours. I mean, _c'mon_, Scar."

"She's a spittin' image of you," Benzai cackled, contradicting Shenzi, "And she's the future heir to Pride Rock."

"Shut up, Benzai," Shenzi grinned, elbowing his gut, "I don't think the little princess here should know that yet." She smiled manically down at me, and I retreated back in fear, hiding myself behind Scar's left front paw.

_The future heir to Pride Rock? What did that mean?_

"Scar, when exactly are we going to go through with the..._preperations_...we had talked about earlier?" Shenzi asked seriously, arching an eyebrow at him.

"This afternoon. In the gorge. You three staying at the top. I will give you the signal." Scar replied, "But for now, tell the others what's coming."

The three hyenas grinned at each other maliciously, turning and running off towards the shadow lands. Scar looked down at me, his cunning expression gone, rubbing his nose up to my body. "Come along, Sabiha. Your turn to hunt."

I happily followed him to the grasslands near a herd of zebra, but only one thing was on my mind.

Why did the hyenas know Scar?


	4. IV

**IV**

After a successful hunting and killing lesson given by Scar, he looked at me proudly, licking the side of my face, "Not bad, not bad at all."

I smiled proudly, happy that he was proud of me.

Scar looked up at the sun. It was about midday, and he led me back to Pride Rock, to the lionnesses and Zazu. He carried me over to Sarabi, who was sunbathing with Sarafina and Nala. He gently placed me beside my aunt and asked her, "Look after her until I return, Sarabi. There are some hyenas in the outskirts of the Pridelands that i must deal with."

I looked at him curiously, "Dad, can I go with you?" He licked my face and turned away, beginning to walk off quickly, "No, stay with your aunt until I get back."

I frowned, mumbling that he never let me do anything fun as I watched him disappear into the grasslands, slinking away quickly. Zazu smiler knowingly at me, "Now, now, Sabiha. Your father is only looking out for the well-being of his only cub."

"But I'm not weak," I protested, boasting, "I'm brave. I can deal with those hyenas."

Zazu smirked at me, "Oh, like you did yesterday?"

I glared at him and turned away, retreating back to our den to hang out with Nala. I grazed in the sun for a bit, recieved my bath from Sarabi, and eventually went looking around Pride Rock for Simba, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I got bored sitting there on Pride Rock, without Simba or my father, so I began walking around Pride Rock with with uncle. Zazu soon joined us, perching himself loyally on Mufasa's shoulder. After walking a bit, Zazu gazed out towards the gorge. "Oh look, Sire. The herd is on the move."

The wildebeests.

"That's odd..." Mufasa said suspiciously.

Suddenly, Scar ran to us, alarm in his eyes. He was terrified, the most frightened I'd ever seen my father. My eyebrows raised in alarm when he said, "Quick, Mufasa! Stampede, in the gorge. _Simba_'s down there!"

Mufasa gasped, "Simba!" And began running towards the gorge in the distance, Zazu following faithfully behind. I looked up at Scar, who said, "Sabiha, stay here and go back up to the den with your aunt until I return."

"But I—" I began, but Scar cut me off. He glared down at me paternally, "I mean it, young lady. It is far too dangerous."

He ran after Mufasa and Zazu to help, and I made my way up to Pride Rock, panicked. I was terrified. Would Simba be okay?

Was he caught in the stampede?

* * *

It was nighttime at Pride Rock.

Simba and Mufasa were dead.

Scar stood at the head of our pride, sitting up straight and proper. Every lioness in our pride lowered her head in grief. Nala stood beneath Sarafina, and I stood beneath Scar. Tears streamed down my eyes, and I buried my face into my father's massive front paw in sadness as my father spoke.

"Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy." He said heavily, and the lionesses bowed their heads in sadness, "But to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live..." He sighed, putting a paw to me in comfort, "It is a deep, personal loss."

He straightened up, clearing his throat, "So it is with a heavy heart that _I_ assume the throne, and my daughter after me."

More tears streamed down my face, not caring that one day I'd rule our pride. I didn't want it. I wanted Simba and Mufasa to be alive. Sadness was heavy on our pride. I didn't want to one day be queen of Pride Rock. I nuzzled my face into Scar's front paw.

"Yet out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise," Scar continued, beginning to sound more powerful with each word. Hyena laughter was beginning to be heard, and Zazu gasped. Sarafina, Sarabi and Nala looked up in horror as hyenas began surrounding Pride Rock.

"To greet the dawning of a new era, in which lion and hyena come together in a great and _glorious_ future." He hissed, power burning in his green-yellow eyes.

The hyenas laughter grew louder as hundreds surrounded Pride Rock. I backed up into my father, hiding underneath him."Scar, we _cannot_ live with them." Sarabi spoke up, bringing her head up, looking in horror at the impending hyenas.

"Lion and hyena _will_ co-exist." Scar roared in response, then lowered his voice, "See for yourself."

I looked panickedly up at Scar, fear in my green-yellow eyes that we shared. Instead of protecting me like he did with any other animal, he backed up and picked me up by his mouth, walking me closer to the three hyenas—Benzai, Shenzi, and Ed—and placing me down in front of them.

I was terrified and shocked. He always kept me safe, never _once_ had he ever let danger come to me.

Sarabi roared, attempting to protect me, her niece, but Scar glared at her to prevent her from interuppting the merge of lion and hyena co-existing.

He knew I was terrified of hyenas. I pawed at him, trembling and whimpering, attempting to get him to let me hide beneath him. When I tried to hide in the protection of his paws, he didn't let me. He grinned down at me, "Now, now, darling. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Shenzi gave me a toothy grin. Her teeth, as well as Ed and Benzai's, were dagger-like sharp, pointed teeth. She came close with Ed and Benzai, inches away from my nose, their breath on me. Scar stood behind me, watching.

"All hail the future queen." Shenzi sneered, giving me a mocking smile. Benzai and Ed cackled manically.

Our entire pride watched helplessly and in shock as the hyenas tormented me and overtook Pride Rock, Scar their new leader. I backed up against my father, the new king, Scar. Tears streamed down my face. I yelped and Scar let me in between his massive paws. I trembled, backing myself beneath him in fear, watching the hyenas cackle and smirk maliciously at me.

As tears streamed down my face and I trembled against my father's black mane, I knew one thing.

I knew that the future of our pride was anything _but_ "great and glorious".

* * *

_Reviews are cool :)_


	5. V

**V**

Years passed by as my father assumed the throne as the lion king—the king of Pride Rock and the Pridelands.

The hyenas had overtaken the Pridelands, leaving it to nothing by dryness and dust. The lionesses and I worried how we would continue to survive. I had grown to be a strong adult lioness, muscular like my mother, yet a spitting image of my father with my tan fur and green eyes, and I had inherited his demeanor and some of his traits.

I loved him more than anything; the bond between us couldn't be broken. He raised me to be a strong, headstrong lioness. Throughout the years he had been protective and possessive of me, but I appreciated it now that I was a grown lion. He used to tell me everything I needed to know would come in time, and that someday I'd walk tall with pride.

I was taught how to hunt like a real lion by Scar, and taught how to roar like I meant it. I was next in line, to become queen of Pride rock, but I didn't want to be. I never had gotten over the death of Simba and Mufasa. My father forbid anyone in the pride to speak of either of them. Being raised by Scar, he provided me with the power to be strong, and the wisdom to be wise.

Because I was the daughter of the lion king, the lionesses would almost always get me to convince my father of changing his mind about certain things, such as moving from Pride Rock.

While I loved him more than anyone could imagine, I realized that my father grew increasingly cruel, bitter, and harsh. While we were extremely close, we had been increasingly irritable in the recent years.

Nevertheless, our relationship hadn't changed much.

I felt my tail swinging back and forth excitedly as I approached the den my father and I used to share, whereas now I mostly slept with the rest of the pride, and he slept by himself as the king.

He had his back turned and was sarcastically talking to Zazu, who was trapped in the ribcage of an animal in the corner, as usual. I slowly crept, not making a sound. He had taught me to creep on my prey, and that was what I was doing.

I lowered my head, my ears back, about to pounce, when Scar said in his usual drawl, his back still to me, "Sabiha, don't even _think_ about it."

I smiled widely, and pounced playfully anyway, jumping on my father like I did when I was a cub, sending him to the ground. "How did you know it was me? I didn't make a sound." I laughed lightly, letting him up.

"After raising you for ten years, it's no surprise," He replied with a deviant grin, licking the side of my face, and resting his head on mine as I nuzzled my head under his chin, a traditonal greeting of a cub to their parent, "After all, you are talking to the lion who taught you _ho_w to do that, darling."

I grinned at him and said, "And I wouldn't want it any other way. I mean, you did raise me so well, Dad. _Really_."

Scar looked at me blankly, then narrowed his eyes, "Alright, Sabiha. Enough sweet-talking. What is it that the lionesses want _this_ time?"

_He really can read me like a book. I guess that's why he's my father._

I dropped my fake grin and said, "Okay, okay. Well, Nala and the lionesses were talking, and, um...we're running out of food, Dad. We don't know what to do. We're starving. The herds are beginning to move on."

I said this carefully, as my father seemed to get irritable if you ever suggested that he wasn't a good king. And no matter how much I loved him, I would even admit his reign brought nothing but hyenas, starvation, and anger. The lionesses couldn't stand my father, but didn't mind me because despite myself looking exactly like him, we were nothing alike. I hated his choices as king, and didn't understand his mind frame.

"_Nala_." Scar hissed, rolling his eyes, "Tell her that if she seriously cannot find food, that she isn't looking hard enough. And if she is really quite that thick, tell her to go elsewhere to find food. Anywhere, I _don't_ care. That's an order."

"But—" I began, but we were suddenly interuppted.

"Hey! Scar!" Benzai's annoying voice echoed through the den, "We got a bone to pick with you!"

Scar angrily looked to the entrance of our den, as the three hyenas who tormented me as a cub entered our den. Ed, Shanzi, and Benzai. They all walked in, hunched over as usual, looking angrily at my father.

I glared at them, defensive of my father.

"Shut up, Benzai. I'll handle this." Shanzi hissed at her fellow hyena, then calmly turned to my father, "Scar, there is no food. There's nothing here. You promised us food, and we haven't had any!"

"That's the lionesses' job, not mine. Eat Zazu." Scar replied exasperatedly, waving his hand aloofly to Zazu, who sat trapped in the corner in the carcass of some animal Scar had eaten long ago. Zazu panickedly looked up at the hyenas and said, "No, not me! I'm far too boney!"

"The _lionesses_ job? The ain't doing nothing!" Shenzi barked at Scar, then looked at me. The three hyenas had tormented me since I was a cub, and I couldn't stand them.

I took a few steps towards her and growled, "And why don't you let me know what the _hyenas_ are doing for this pride, huh? Oh, wait, you aren't part of our pride. Because you're _hyenas_!"

"Cool it, _princess_. You might do something you regret." Shenzi growled back, our noses pressed against each other in anger and intimidation.

"Not before you do." I roared, leaping for her, the two other hyenas growling. Scar stopped, pulling back on my tail so I was beside him again, just like he did when I was a cub, "Enough, enough. Sabiha, _enough_."

"She's just like you, Scar." Benzai laughed his annoying laugh, "Fiesty and intimidating." Shenzi glared at me, growling, "You're lucky your daddy's the king, kiddo."

I roared at them loudly, with all my might, and the three scurried out of the den.

I huffed, circling around to look at my father, "Why don't you ever take _my_ side?"

Scar looked at me, serious, his eyebrows raised, "Sabiha, I do. But we have an agreement with the hyenas that we will co-exist with them. You know that, and you've known it since you were a cub."

"That's not how it was when Mufasa was king." I let his brother's name slip, and I instantly regretted upsetting my father.

"_What_ did you say?" Scar roared angrily, glaring at me, "I'm hoping that my own daughter isn't comparing me to the previous king?" I shook my head, lowering my head and my ears going back in apology of bringing up Mufasa.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, Dad, really. I didn't mean it." I said, knowing how much he hated when I spoke of my uncle. Scar calmed down and nuzzled his face into mine in apology, knowing that he shouldn't have lost his temper with me, then he circled me to look at me.

"Darling, your uncle was not a good king. He knocked me off the throne, and you know it was unfair. I've told you this many times. The hyenas help us. The Pridelands are fine. But right now, you and the lionesses must find food. Look harder, it's out there. All the herds are."

"Okay, Dad. Alright." I sighed, looking up at him, unsure. I nuzzed my nose into his shoulder. He gave me that deviant grin again and said, "There's a good girl."

I lowered my head, quietly and sadly walking out of the den we used to share when I was a cub, leaving my angry father and a prisoner Zazu behind. I left Priderock unsatisfied, sad, and scared of my own father.

I missed when it was the two of us, father and daughter, and he wasn't king. I missed Mufasa and Simba, and I missed when my father was kind to me, and didn't get angry when I mentioned my uncle. I sighed, my eyelids heavy, my tail between my legs as I walked down to the group of the lionesses.

The group of lionesses looked up hopefully to me, anxious to hear of the word of the lion king. They could tell I looked depressed, and so the look of hope diminished. Nala, who had remained my best friend through cubhood, looked at me nervously.

"Nala," I said heavily, "Scar orders you to travel as far as need be to find food."

The lionesses hung their heads in hopelessness. Nala looked shocked, but accepted the order, as whatever the male lion of the pack ordered, went. Sarabi shook her head as Nala began running in the distance. My aunt sighed, "What is your father doing to this pride?"

"I don't know," I sighed, "But he needs to be stopped."

I was startled when I heard a voice call my name, and I looked up behind me, to see Scar walking down Priderock. Sarabi and I had been speaking in hushed voices, so I knew he didn't hear me. The skin was setting in the African sky, the sky an orange pink with stringed clouds over the horizon.

"Come along, Sabiha. We must talk." He said, no emotion in his voice. The lionesses all looked at me, hopeful.

I sighed, following my father into the grasslands.


End file.
